michael k. wilkinson, photographs of architecture &

interiors

popping up in Petworth

Category: architecture. Client: Vallen Design Studio. December 2014. As its popularity has increased in recent years, Washington DC has seen a surge of developers purchasing distressed single-family row houses and converting them to multi-family condominiums, often adding a third or fourth level to the top of the buildings and "popping" them up over adjacent row homes, disrupting the historical fabric of the block. Neighbors have been referring to these as "pop-ups," and not as a term of endearment. Vallen Design Studio, in partnership with Adela Construction, designed a pop-up that preserves the single-family status of this row home in the popular Petworth neighborhood, while adding significant square footage to the home AND leaving the streetscape unaltered. They added on to the rear of the home, creating a large and comfortable space for the kitchen on the main level, a double-height master bedroom on the top floor, and a one-bedroom guest suite in the basement. Maintaining the single-family status of the home allowed the team to create living spaces that are generous and comfortable, bucking another developer trend to squeeze everything into a small but "open" living/dining area.